2019 Domaine des Perdrix, Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru 'Aux Perdrix'
Regular price £248.00 Save £-248.00ABOUT THE WINE
Managed by Bertrand & Christiane Devillard and their children Amaury & Aurore since 1996, the Domaine des Perdrix, located in Cote de Nuits spread over 12 hectares in the best terroirs within the villages of Nuits Saint Georges and Vosne Romanee. Nearly 5 hectares of the estate produce Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru, among which the excellent “Aux Perdrix” is a quasimonopole (99%). The quality of the vineyards, their rigorous management and vinification have established the Domaine des Perdrix as a renowned Domaine.
TASTING NOTES
Beautiful garnet colour, with purple tints. The nose develops aromas of chocolate, spices and pepper with black cherry notes. On the palate, the wine is full and rich with round and silky tannins. Persistent, powerful and smooth wine with a wonderful complexity.
FOOD PAIRING
Perfect match for red meats, game birds such as pheasant or partridge, veal rolls as well as raw milk cheeses.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
It can be served from now at 13-14° C or kept in cellar between 7 to 10 years. Great ageing potential.
2010 Chateau Talbot
Regular price £136.30 Save £-136.30ABOUT THE WINE
Legend has it that Chateau Talbot takes its name from a British soldier, Connetable Talbot, who was killed in a battle at Castillon in 1453; the estate was named in his honour. Since 1917, Talbot has been owned by the Cordier family. As with all notable chateaux, the family has invested heavily in Talbot to ensure that it achieves the quality levels of which it is capable. With 102 hectares of vineyards, Talbot is one of the largest estates in the Medoc; wines see 50-60% new oak, for around 15 months.
TASTING NOTES
One of the top examples of Talbot over the last decades, but this wine is all about opulence and fruit intensity and less so about complexity for now. Undoubtedly it will develop further to reveal much more. A fine, muscular wine from an exceptional year. This is one to keep even further.
FOOD PAIRING
Strong flavours; lamb, beef stews, cured meat.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
A fabulous Talbot to drink over the next 20-25 years.
2015 Antinori, Tignanello
Regular price £289.90 Save £-289.90ABOUT THE WINE
Produced exclusively from the 57-hectare vineyard which gives the wine its name, Tignanello has been produced by the Antinori family since 1970. The family itself has been involved in the production of wine in Tuscany since 1385, when Giovanni di Piero Antinori became a member of the Arte Florentina, the Winemakers Guild of Florence. Today the winery is run by Marquis Piero Antinori, with the support of his three daughters Albiera, Allegra and Alessia.
TASTING NOTES
Sangiovese dominates the flavour-profile. The fruit is beautifully ripe with fresh blackberry and cherry nuances, spice, leather, sweet tobacco and smoke. Rounded tannins suggesting that this will be approachable early, yet with enough structure to ensure a healthy ageing potential – drink 2020-2030.
FOOD PAIRING
Red meat, goose or veal; complex stews and aged hard cheese.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This classic vintage is immediately accessible, generous and opulent.
2003 Chateau Figeac
Regular price £302.65 Save £-302.652006 Chateau Figeac
Regular price £315.90 Save £-315.90ABOUT THE WINE
An ancient vineyard, named after its Gallo-Roman owners, the Figeacus family, the Figeac estate has been continually occupied and farmed for at least two thousand years. The terroir is very special indeed, a large part of the original 200-hectare estate was sold off during the 18th Century to the Ducasse family to become Chateau Cheval Blanc, and other sections contribute to some of the finest estates in the appellation. The 42-hectare vineyard that remains contains vines over 100 years of age, with an unusually high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon planted.
TASTING NOTES
An elegant and surprisingly approachable vintage for Figeac; sweet aromas of menthol, fruitcake, cherries, and black currants, silky tannins and an evolved, precocious style, drinking well from 2015.
FOOD PAIRING
Grilled and roast lamb with garlic and rosemary.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Despite their Cabernet-driven style, this vintage shows only the vaguest hints of the green pepper notes that affected right bank wines from this year.
2006 Chateau Palmer
Regular price £427.05 Save £-427.05ABOUT THE WINE
Chateau Palmer is named after a British officer, Colonel Charles Palmer (later Maj. General), who settled in Bordeaux in 1814. It is located in the center of the Margaux appellation, and its vineyards lie on a plateau of clay and gravel soils. Historically the estate has always prided itself on the exceptional quality of its wines, declassifying whole vintages (as in 1963 and 1968) when conditions weren't conducive to the usual high standards of the property. Classified as a 3ieme Cru Classe', it punches significantly above its classification. Since the 2017 vintage they are certified 100% biodynamic.
TASTING NOTES
Maraschino cherries, cassis and tobacco characterise the bright, youthful aromatics; medium-bodied on the palate, with a succulent core of cassis and blackberry fruit. The tannic structure is super-fine, beautifully integrated into the oak character on the finish. This is a remarkably elegant wine, which has developed superbly, and will continue to do so until 2040.
FOOD PAIRING
An excellent wine for venison.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Merlot at Palmer is planted on both the clay and gravel soils of the estate; the extra drainage provided by the gravel gives Palmer its elegant opulence, hence the unusually high proportion of Merlot (often 45-50%) in the blend for a left-bank wine.
2012 Opus One, Opus One
Regular price £538.50 Save £-538.502003 Chateau Margaux
Regular price £893.95 Save £-893.95Also Available - 2005 Vintage
ABOUT THE WINE
It’s amazing when you realise that the birth of what we know of as Chateau Margaux dates back almost 1,000 years! Due to the amazing quality of the wine, the estate took the name of the appellation. Even today, the only Bordeaux wine estate to bear the name of the appellation from where it resides remains Chateau Margaux. The Ginestet family was forced to sell Chateau Margaux in 1977 to Andre Mentzelopoulos, due to mounting debts brought about in part by the plunging prices for Bordeaux wine in the 1970’s. Andre Mentzelopoulos died in December 1980 and his daughter, Corinne Mentzelopoulos took over running Chateau Margaux.
TASTING NOTES
Chateau Margaux’s 2003 is one of the most amazing examples of what incredible wine can be. An outstanding vintage, characterized by dryness and warmth. This wine delivers unmatched flavour richness and velvety smooth tannins that marry impeccably with the long oak ageing. A transformative wine. This iconic wine from an iconic vintage can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years.
FOOD PAIRING
Red meat, hard cheese, savoury pastries are what goes best with this powerful red.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This is one of the most opulent and rich wines of the last two decades.